About This Project

In today’s global refugee crisis, 65 million women, children, and families have been forced from their homes. Sadly, refugees are often depicted as the “other,” a group so unlike us that it should be feared and distrusted. The overwhelming majority of U.S. citizens have never even met a refugee, much less had a personal connection with one.

But there are those among us who have.

#WhatIFoughtFor aims to tell those stories and build support for American leadership to protect the persecuted.

Veterans have seen the devastation of war. Many of them have worked in communities around the world that have suffered from violence and oppression. They have even fought alongside many of these individuals as allies during wartime. They understand why refugees flee their homes, and that refugees want the same safety and opportunity for their families that we do.

As veterans, we have dedicated our lives to our country, and we believe that commitment extends beyond our military service. American ideals are not just words, but values worth defending–the same values that we fought for. That is why Veterans for American Ideals stands with refugees.

About the Artist:

Tanika Roy

Tanika is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, artist, and photographer. Her work focuses on humanitarian and environmental issues. She is currently based in the Los Angeles Area.

About Veterans for American Ideals:

Veterans for American Ideals is a nonpartisan group of military veterans who share the belief that America is strongest when its policies and actions match its ideals. After taking off the uniform, we seek to continue serving our country by advocating policies that are consistent with the ideals that motivated us to serve in the first place: freedom, diversity, equality, and justice. It is those same ideals that make the United States a beacon to the world’s refugees. Our current campaigns are focused on protecting refugees, saving the Special Immigrant Visa program for interpreters and translators who served with the U.S. military, and countering anti-Muslim bigotry.

Veterans for American Ideals is a project of Human Rights First, an advocacy and action organization challenging America to live up to its ideals. Learn more at vfai.org or make a donation to support this work.